Regret
by z shadow619
Summary: Ash lies awake at night sometimes, thinking about the past. Like all of us, he has regrets. And with regret, there is hope, despair, reconciliation, and thought. Pearlshipping.
1. Ash's Regret

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. What would make you think I did? Because I don't. Way to rub it in.**

**So, I return, by popular demand! Er...well, not really _. Anyways, here's another Pearlshipping story. **

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><p>It was night time in Unova Region. The forest was still, the night was clear, and if you listened carefully, you could hear the snoring of Pokemon drifting through the trees.<p>

There was a camp set up in this forest, as a group of travelers decided to rest for the night. They had begun their trip to Icirrus City, but the hike was longer than initially expected. Now, the small group lay in their sleeping bags, eager to resume their journey the next day.

Well, except one of them. Ash Ketchum lie awake in his sleeping bag, staring up at the stars. On clear nights like this, he liked to lie awake and remember all the wonderful things he experienced on his previous journeys, and all the people he had met.

He liked to remember all the friends he had made during his travels.

He thought about Misty, and wondered how things were going at the Cerulean Gym. She had always been a good friend to him, even if they fought a lot. It was pretty rough on her when they had to go their seperate ways, but she had a responsibilty to take, and Ash wanted to travel to the Hoenn region. She had been his first (human) traveling companion, and for that, she would always be special to him. _I wonder, if she didn't have to go back to the gym, if she would still be traveling with me? I'll have to write her or call some time, see how she's holding up. _He thought to himself.

He thought about Brock, who he parted ways with after his journey in the Sinnoh region. The Gym Leader turned Pokemon Doctor, not to mention the guy who acted as his mentor for so much of Ash's life. Being an only child, Ash had valued always having Brock around, acting like the older brother he had never had. Adjusting to traveling without Brock was something he was still getting used to. It just wasn't the same. _I wonder how Pokemedical school is going for him?_

He thought about Gary. His once-rival had, thankfully, mellowed out after a period of time, and took to becoming a Pokemon Researcher, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Professor Oak. _Thank Arceus he took a chill pill. _Ash thought, smiling to himself.

His mind drifted to May. She had reminded Ash so much of himself when he began his first journey, full of naive stubbornness. _Not that I've completely grown out of it,_ Ash admitted in his mind. He wondered if she was still in Johto, or if she had moved to another region. She had put a lot of faith in him, and Ash had done his best not to let her down.

And the he remembered her little brother, Max. A smart, albeit somewhat annoying kid who went along with Ash, May, and Brock. His heart was always in the right place though, and he really couldn't wait to become a Pokemon Trainer. _I wonder how he'll do once he becomes a Trainer? _Ash wondered.

But what did he think about the most on nights like this? Her. _Dawn._

Out of all his companions, she was the outright nicest. _Probably why Mesprit chose her, _he reasoned to himself. She and Ash had been very close as they traveled Sinnoh together. For some reason, Ash was compelled to help her however he could. He was always sure to watch all of her contests, something he hadn't even done with May. In doing so, he even had picked up some battle strategies of his own, which he would always be grateful for.

And she had done so much for him. Lying awake in his sleeping bag, Ash couldn't help but grin as remembered her showing up in a cheerleader outfit to support him at the Oreburgh Gym. Not to mention putting on a whole show for him after losing to Paul. _She really went out of her way for me, huh?_ He thought, _I hope she got the letter I sent her last week._

At this point, Ash sat up in his sleeping bag and held his knees to his chest. He liked to remember Dawn, but...he always get a sinking feel. _I didn't do anything. I had the chance to do it right in front of me, and I did nothing._

Maybe he hadn't realized his feelings at the time. Maybe he was afraid he'd be rejected. Maybe he just lost his nerve. But no matter how much he tried to rationalize WHY he hadn't done it, Ash still beats himself up.

_I didn't tell her how I felt._ He cursed himself.

He would flashback to the day the ferry left the Sinnoh region. He remembered tears pouring down her face as the boat pulled away, and thinking _does she love me back?_

He had wanted to yell out that he loved her. He wanted to jump off the ship and swim back to her. But for some reason, all he could do was shout "no need to worry."

And now, he had to live with his moment of cowardice. In some weird way to make up for it, she was the first person Ash started writing letters to regularly on his trip. Because he missed her? So she wouldn't forget him? _Probably both_. He reasoned to himself.

It wasn't that he regretted coming to Unova. _I love it here!_ Ash was an adventurer, no doubt, and it was his belief that only by traveling to the different gyms that he would one day be a Pokemon Master. But he still couldn't help to think if things would have turned out differently if he had just had the guts to say something to her about his feelings for her.

Ash laid back down in his sleeping bag, feeling the weight of regret on his spirits. _When I'm done here...I'm going to go visit her._ He had asked her if he could in his last letter, hoping that it wasn't coming off too strong. But she had said that she wanted to see him again, right?

Ash turned to lay on his side. He closed his eyes, feeling fatigue get the better of him. Sadly, before falling asleep, the last thought to echo in his mind was: _Maybe it's too late._

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><p>The next day, Ash, Iris, and Cilan had made it to Icirrus City. Cilan and Iris couldn't help but notice Ash seemed a little down in the dumps that day.<p>

"You okay Ash? Where's your normal child-like enthusiasm? How are you not charging to the gym to challenge the leader in an embarrassing display?" Iris asked teasingly.

It only worried them when he just shrugged and said, "I'm fine. I'll go check in to the Pokemon Center."

Cilan and Iris exchanged concerned glances as Ash walked away.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked from his partners shoulder, worriedly.

Ash gave the Pokemon a small smile. "Sorry buddy. I was up last night thinking about Dawn again."

"Pi..." Pikachu answered sadly, patting Ash on the head.

Ash registered some rooms at the Pokemon Center for him and his friends to stay at. As he turned to leave Nurse Joy looked over at his (sloppy) signature, and shouted after him, "WAIT, are you Ash Ketchum?"

"Huh? Oh...yeah." He answered, confused.

"This letter came in for you this morning. I was about to send it to Mistralton, but I'm glad you got here when you did." Nurse Joy said, smiling. She handed Ash a pink envelope.

Ash smiled. _She had gotten it._

Ash opened up the envelope, and noticed there was more than just a letter...Dawn had sent a picture of herself and Piplup. In the picture, Dawn was making the victory sign, as Piplup was sticking it's tongue out at the camera. Ash chuckled. He flipped the picture over, and realized she had written an additional message aside from her letter.

**Ash,**

**Can't wait for you to visit! We all miss you!**

**XOXO - Dawn**

Ash showed the picture to Pikachu and smiled. "Maybe it's not too late." He said aloud.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, excited for Ash.

With renewed confidence and purpose, Ash felt even more drive in his quest to finish collecting gym badges. "What do you say Pikachu? Let's head over to the gym right now and get that badge! We have somewhere to be when this is all over!"

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><p><strong>This was intended as a one-shot. However, if enough people want, I might pick it up later to continue it. I'm not sure what direction I would take it in, but I have a few rough ideas.<br>**


	2. Dawn's Regret

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. And no, I'm not saying something funny this time to go with this. So there.**

**Instead of doing a straight continuation, I figured I would do a perspective-flip on this, and do a parallel of how Dawn could feel with Ash gone. I may still do a proper continuation, I'm just on the fence on if I should and where I should go with it if I do. And no, I'm not just trying to pander for reviews, because it more boils down to if I can resolve it in a feasible way. But I do like reviews, of course.**

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><p>"No, no, no, no." Dawn sighed out of frustration, crumpling up her sixth piece of paper and tossing it in to her garbage can. From her bed, Piplup gave his trainer's back a confused glance.<p>

"Pip?" He asked.

Dawn looked over her shoulder and gave a forced smile. "No need to worry, Piplup."

"Pip lup lup Pip." It answered smugly.

Dawn knew it was saying what almost everyone said: _that's when I worry most._

"You know how I get with this Piplup: my letters back to Ash have to be perfect." She said, propping her elbows on her desk and holding her head in her hands. "But then I read them over again, and they all sound stupid."

Piplup hobbled over to the garbage can and took out the latest one. But before he could open it and read it, Dawn grabbed it frantically, blushing. "Hey come on, that's private!"

Piplup stifled some laughter behind it's flippers. Dawn rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, lay off."

Dawn got out her seventh blank piece of paper, and scribbled **Dear Ash** at the top.

"Okay, so what should I tell him?" She asked, turning to Piplup.

Piplup sweatdropped. "Pip..."

"Yes, I know, this is the seventh time I've asked you." Dawn groaned, "But it has to be compelling. I have to make him _want_ to respond, _want_ to pick up some paper and answer right away, you know?"

"Piplup lup?" Piplup asked.

Dawn blushed at the question. "Well, I want him to still be interested in me. I mean...what if he met someone else? I mean, what if he and that Iris girl he's traveling with are...you know...how am I supposed to compete with that? I'm over here in Sinnoh, and she's with him everyday." She paused, and added sadly, "Like I used to be..."

"Piplup..." Piplup replied, trying to be comforting. Then it yawned, prompting Dawn to look over at her clock.

_Past midnight already? Gah, this took longer than I thought..._ Dawn thought to herself.

Seven must have been her lucky number, or she was just rather tired, as once she finished, she finally felt satisfied with the letter she had written for Ash. But still...she felt something was missing.

_Ah well, I'm beat. I'll figure it out in the morning before I send it out._ She thought to herself.

Changing in to her pajamas, she and Piplup crawled under her blankets and got ready for bed. After a few minutes, Dawn heard Piplup's snores coming from next to her. But she couldn't seem to fall asleep quite yet. Her mind kept drifting off to the piece of paper on her desk.

_Like I used to be._

Her travels with Ash and Brock were something she thought about a lot when she couldn't sleep. It had been the best year of her life. Everything she had experienced with them had helped her grow in to the person she was now.

She had traveled to Hoenn after Buneary finished Pokemodeling, but it it hadn't been the same on her own. Sadly, she had only gotten four out of the five necessary Contest Ribbons, so her trip hadn't lasted as long. But that wasn't what was bothering her. She had given it her all, she had come back with no regrets.

No, but she often had to deal with regret over something else.

_I didn't tell him_. She cursed herself, as she lay listening to Piplup's snores. And it wasn't the first time she'd thought this.

She remembered that day too well. The whole morning, she promised herself, _I won't let him leave unless I tell him. If I tell him, and he loves me back, I'll go with him. Buneary will understand._

The whole morning, she tried to psych herself up. Told herself it was now or never. She knew that Ash was destined to travel the lands until he reached his dream. His dedication was something that made her fall for him. _But if I don't tell him or go with him...when will I see him again?_

That thought still haunted her. She wanted so badly to see his face again. In fact, his letter stating he still wanted to visit was probably the second best thing he could have written her (the best of course being a full-fledged love letter).

_But I couldn't do it. The boat left, and I couldn't do it._ She thought as she lay in bed, almost to the point of tears.

As the ferry got ready to leave...as he began to walk away...she wanted to reach out and grab him. To spin him around and kiss him. Tell him that she would follow him to the ends of the Earth.

She remembered calling his name, like second nature. He had turned around, confused.

_Kiss him, Dawn!_ She had thought to herself at the time, _Tell him you love him. Go with him._

But she choked. She raised her hand for their trademark high-five. And as the boat pulled away, she cried.

She rolled over in bed, and a lone tear slid down her cheek. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but not before thinking: _My Ash...is it too late to make that happen?_

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><p>She woke up the next morning to the smell of french toast. She smiled as she sat up. She had dreamed of him again. She often did. And it always made her wake up in a great mood.<p>

"Piplup!" The penguin Pokemon exclaimed excitedly. It had been awoken by the smell as well.

Dawn groggily grabbed her letter before going downstairs. Next to it, a pile of pictures from her trips lay unsorted. For some reason, she realized now what the letter needed.

_Just a little something to remind him who's waiting for him. _She thought to herself.

Writing a short message on the back of the picture, she placed it and the letter in an envelope. With a sense of determination, she whispered to herself, "Ash...I won't choke when you come visit me. I'll tell you how I feel. Just please...be true to your word."

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><p><strong>Not as happy of an ending for Dawn huh? Poor kid.<strong>

**Note: The Hoenn thing I got from Bulbapedia. Apparently in Japan only they release a "Side Story" episode type thing where that's what Dawn did, and she met another young trainer girl with some esteem issues like she had earlier. Something like that. So I went with it. Not sure how it stands in the general sense of everyone's canon.  
><strong>


	3. Ash's Hope

**Hope: Ash's POV**

**Disclaimer: Come on man, you know by now that I don't own Pokemon. Don't be a hater.**

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><p><em>It's here. It's finally here.<em> Ash thought to himself as he arrived at the stadium with Cilan and Iris.

The Unova League Tournament. He had made it. He'd defeated all eight gym leaders, and now he had another shot to be the very best, that no one ever was. He arrived a day early, thankfully, and tomorrow the opening ceremony would take place. After that, it was all battles, just the way Ash liked it.

After winning the 8th badge, Ash had written to everyone - and he meant everyone - to let them know when they could watch him at the league. So it shouldn't have been a surprise to him that once he got to the Pokemon Center, a small stack of letters had come for him.

"Whoa, since when were you Mr. Popular?" Iris asked, teasingly.

"Looks like you got a fan club supporting you back home." Cilan added. "Of course, we're here to back you up too."

Ash smiled. "Thanks. Hey Pikachu, let's drop these off in our room and go train while we still got some daylight!"

"Pika!" The electric mouse replied.

After an intense afternoon of training, Ash, Cilan, and Iris retired to their room. Cilan, Iris, Pikachu, and Axew were playing a card game, but Ash decided to go through what Iris had deemed his "fan mail."

He first read the letter from Brock. It was a quick note, and scrawled very quickly. _What is it with doctor's and bad handwriting? _Ash wondered.

**Ash,**

**Hey, I wish I had time to make this longer, but I've got a lot of homework to do. Congratulations man! You're just going to keep getting better, aren't you? I have some classes during a few parts of the tournament, but hopefully I'll be able to see at least most of your battles. We'll be rooting you on.**

**Doc Brock (like how that sounds, Ash? I do.)**

**P.S. I ACTUALLY WENT ON A DATE WITH NURSE JOY!**

Ash laughed as he read the post-script message, and showed it to Pikachu. Pikachu nearly fainted in disbelief, making Ash laugh even more. Iris and Cilan just looked at each other in confusion.

"You'd have to know the guy." Ash explained.

Going back to their game, Ash crammed Brock's letter in to his backpack and moved on to the next one.

The next was from Misty, and luckily for Ash, much easier to read.

**Hey Ash,**

**Glad to hear how well you've been doing! Sounds like you've become quite the vagabond **(_I don't know what that word means._ Ash thought, making a mental note to look it up later) **since we went our separate ways. I hope you win this tournament, how many more regions and badges are there for you to even travel to if not? The gym's been great, thanks for asking. I'm way better at this whole leading thing than my sisters were. Don't get too cocky with your skills, or I'll have to whoop you in a battle next time we hang out! =P**

**Good Luck Ash!**

**Misty**

_Ha. Same old Misty. Glad to see not everything has changed. _Ash thought, smirking. He folded the letter up and tucked it away in his backpack.

The next one in the pile was from..._Gary? _Ash wondered, _I sent one to Professor Oak...why did Gary answer?_

**Ash,**

**Gramps showed me your last letter and asked me to answer it while he was tending to some research.**

**Don't blow it! Smell ya later! Just kidding.**

**Gary.**

Ash rolled his eyes. _Man, how are those two related again?_ Ash crumpled the letter up and chucked it in the garbage. Not due to anything against Gary or anything, it just didn't seem like a letter particularly worth keeping. _How many more of these are there?_

He opened the next letter to see it was from May.

**Ash,**

**CONGRATULATIONS! Although I can't say I'm surprised! I knew you would be able to make it to the League in any region you traveled to. You better win, you hear me? Max says you have to as well.**

**It was really great to get your letter, I've been wondering how you'd been since we last saw each other in Sinnoh.**

**No, I'm not in Johto anymore. I've been back home in Petalburg, helping my dad with the gym a little bit. I've been trying to think of where to do contests this upcoming season. I was thinking of trying them here in Hoenn again, but I'm not sure. Maybe Sinnoh? Are there contests in Unova? And if so, how's the food? I'm not going if the food is lousy.**

**We'll all be watching your battles Ash! Good luck!**

**May (and Max)**

Ash smiled at the letter. _I'll have to let her know there are no contests here. _He put this letter in his backpack to save as well.

At the mention of Sinnoh, Ash's thoughts began to drift to a certain blue-haired coordinator, but he quickly focused himself to finishing his letters. Besides, he was almost done. _Hey, this one's from Mom._

**Dear Ash!**

**Oh, I'm so happy to here how well you and Pikachu are doing. Speaking of, is he staying away from the ketchup? You know I'll be watching each and every one of your battles, Ash. They always have me on the edge of my seat! You really have grown in to such a great young trainer.**

**But that doesn't mean you can forget to change your you-know-whats everyday! I'm serious!**

**Mom**

Ash groaned. _Of course. Really know how to close out a letter there, mom._

As Ash put the last letter away he turned and saw he just had one letter left.

_Dawn answered._ He thought simply, putting a smile on his face once more.

**Dear Ash,**

**There was never any doubt you would get all the badges and get in to the tournament! I've seen the way you and your Pokemon train, you guys are amazing! I've always believed in you Ash, but you knew that, right? You better have!**

**I'll be sure to watch each and everyone of your battles! Better remember that I'll be cheering for you as hard as I can - especially when you win the finals! Have you met any of the Elite Four for Unova? I remember you told me about the Champion. His name was Alder, right?**

**So, which of your Pokemon do you think you'll want to use first? They all sound really strong. But of course, with you training them, they're bound to be. Your dedication always inspired me Ash. You inspire me.**

**Haha, that picture you sent me of you and your Oshawott was adorable. You both looked pretty cute.**

**Give it your all Ash! And I sent you something for good luck.**

**Love, Dawn**

Ash blushed reading the letter. _She...she called me cute? I inspire her?_

Reaching back in to the envelope, Ash pulled out a ribbon with another small note attached. He read the note as well.

**This was the first ribbon I won in Sinnoh. You helped me win this, so I hope it helps you win the League.**

**Love, Dawn**

Ash couldn't believe it. _She gave me her first ribbon...I...I don't believe it._

Ash didn't know what to think. He felt warm inside, like he had taken a big gulp of hot chocolate. He clutched the ribbon in his hand. After a minute or so, he put the ribbon and Dawn's letter inside his jean's pocket.

_I'm going to win it Dawn. I'm going to win this and come see you as the champion. Your champion._

Ash immediately grabbed a pen and paper, and began to write her back. Dawn's letters always made him want to answer her right away.

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><p>Two days later, Ash stood backstage with Cilan and Iris.<p>

"It's Tournament Time, Ash!" Cilan said heartily, patting him on the back. "You can do this!"

"Give it everything you've got, kid." Iris said reassuringly.

Ash grinned back at them. "Thanks guys."

A voice boomed from the battle arena. "AND OUR FIRST CONTESTANT, FROM PALLET TOWN...ASH KETCHUM."

Before walking out, Ash reached into his pocket, and pulled out Dawn's ribbon. He fastened it on to the front of his hoodie. _Here we go._

"Let's go win this, Pikachu!" He said, with a mix of confidence and hope, and charged in to the area.

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><p><strong>Next:<strong> **Hope. Dawn's Perspective.**


	4. Dawn's Hope

**Hope: Dawn's POV**

**Disclaimer: If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I don't own Pokemon**

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><p>Dawn sat down on the couch and flipped on the television. <em>I can finally see his face again<em>.

As her mother and Piplup sat down to watch the Unova League with her, she would never admit to them that was her main reason for being excited today. _I mean, of course a good battle is exciting, but I can't wait to see him. I feel like it's been forever._

She had gotten his letter letting her know when the tournament would begin and what channel the coverage was going to be on. It was a cute letter, in a way. His handwriting had been even messier than usual, reflecting how excited he was to have gotten in.

"So, why were you so impatient to get that letter to him out? Did he have to get it before his match?" Johanna asked, wanting to snoop just a bit.

Dawn blushed. "Oh, I just sent him a little something for good luck."

Johanna suddenly became stern. "I hope you aren't sending boys dirty pictures of yourself!"

Dawn blushed even more fiercely. "M-Mom! Never! It wasn't anything like that!"

Johanna burst out laughing at her daughter's reaction. "I know dear, I'm just teasing."

Piplup laughed as well.

Dawn shifted uncomfortably in her seat. _Well this is awkward now..._

It had been awhile since she had first sent Ash a letter with a picture of her and Piplup. Of course, the next time she got a letter in response, it made her heart skip a beat when Ash sent a picture of him and one of his Pokemon. She put the picture in a frame next to her computer, and was relentlessly teased by her mother for it since.

And of course, every time she looked at it, some new thought popped in her mind, along the lines of: _He looks so handsome with his new hat_, or _he's gotten a little more tan since I last saw him,_ or...well, some were affected by the onslaught of puberty affecting Dawn's mind.

She sent pictures back as well, and so did he. It went on for awhile, and Dawn put each picture in a frame somewhere in her room. This went on for about a month, until she finally received the letter announcing Ash's participation in the Unova League.

_He did that a lot faster than he did the Sinnoh badges._ She remembered thinking. As the coverage for the opening round of the Unova League began, it hit her:

_Was I just slowing him down? That much?_ She felt pangs of guilt as they announced the battle schedule on television.

"The second match will pit Ash Ketchum against Bianca White. Up first: Trip versus Richter!" The commentator stated.

They began going over some statistics and Dawn zoned out once more. Their trip around Sinnoh was just as much Dawn's journey as a Coordinator as it was about Ash's quest to be a Pokemon Master. And Ash had always done anything he could to help Dawn reach the top. _But how much did all that take away from him? I mean, I tried my hardest to help him too...but I think it took him almost twice as long to get the Sinnoh badges as he got these Unova ones..._

_I can't believe he doesn't hate me for this..._ Dawn thought sadly.

"Dawn? Earth to Dawn?" Johanna asked, waving her hand in front of Dawn's face.

Dawn shook her head frantically. "Er...sorry mom, thinking. What's up?"

"Just saying...I'm going to run down the street to get some snacks. Want anything in particular?" She asked, before haughtily adding, "Besides Ash, of course."

Once again, Dawn's cheeks turned red. "MOM! You're so embarrassing."

Johanna laughed again. "Well, it's one of the job benefits to being a mom. When you and Ash have kids, you'll do it too."

Dawn threw a pillow off the couch at her mom, who quickly ducked out of the room to go to the store. "CUT IT OUT! We're ten!" Dawn yelled, feeling particularly glad Ash couldn't hear this conversation.

"You won't be forever! Be back soon!" Her mother yelled, heading out the door.

_...I wonder if me and Ash had kids, what they'd look like?_ Dawn couldn't help but think. She indulged herself in a little bit of a fantasy of a potential future with Ash, when the television commentator's interrupted her:

"AND up next, the heated battle continues, it's Ash versus Bianca! BAH GAWD, stay tuned through the commercial break!" The enthusiastic commentator stated.

Dawn couldn't help but feel a little giddy. Since it was a commercial, she quickly ran to her room and grabbed Ash' latest letter. She decided to read it over one more time to get through the break. _And then I get to see Ash again..._

**Dawn,**

**Hey, sorry, no picture this time, I'm on the road and can't get another one printed. Guess what? I got my LAST BADGE! I know, a lot faster than I did in Sinnoh, right? Well...let's just say I had a heck of a motivation to power me through these last two gym battles.**

**Anyways, I'm already entered in to the League! It starts on April 2nd. I think it's going to be on Channel 42. That's what Nurse Joy said in the last town we were in. It might be different in Sinnoh though. I hope you can watch it! I'm going to win it all, just like I promised you! And then, I'll come visit, just like I promised. Maybe we could even go on another journey together?**

**I hate to cut this letter short, but I have a lot of letters to write to let people know where to watch me - I wrote you first.**

**Love, Ash.**

_I'd love to go on another trip with Ash. Especially just the two of us..._ Dawn thought to herself, a pink tinge creeping across her cheeks. And the fact that he had written to her first...she couldn't help but feel special.

Her little daydream was interrupted when the battle began on television. The commentator made this apparent to Dawn.

"AND WE'RE BACK, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! And without further ado, the battle between Ash Ketchum and Bianca White is under way!"

Dawn scooted onto the edge of the couch in anticipation, and squealed excitedly as she finally - FINALLY - got to see Ash appear on his side of the battlefield. _He looks so handsome in his hoodie there. _She thought. _I'm sure he can win._

"Pikachu, I CHOOSE YOU!" She heard him yell to start the battle.

Not long in to the battle, Johanna returned home with a few snacks for them to share. She walked back in to the living room and tossed Dawn a soda, which Dawn just barely caught, due to how engrossed in to the battle she was. "Thanks mom."

"I see I'm a bit late. How is your boyfriend doing?" Johanna asked teasingly.

Dawn blushed yet again. "I don't know what you're talking about. But it's a three-on-three battle, and so far Ash is winning three-to-one with Pikachu."

Johanna looked surprised. "Oh wow, that well?"

Dawn smiled and winked at her mom. "Come on mom, Ash trained Pikachu so well it can take down a Darkrai and a Latios. He's amazing!"

Johanna laughed. "Good point."

"AND BAH GAWD, that's the match! I've never seen a league battle end so quickly! Ash's Pikachu took down all of Bianca's Pokemon in a real slobber-knocker of an event!" The commentator said in a southern drawl.

Johanna rolled her eyes. "Where do they find these guys to do these things?"

But Dawn wasn't listening. She pumped her fist in to the air. "YEAH! ASH IS THE BEST!"

Johanna laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Oh hey, looks like you get a little more eye-candy, dear, they're interviewing Ash about his win. Oh...what's he got on his hoodie?"

"Huh?" Dawn asked, and turned her attention to the television set once more. And then gasped.

_He's...he's wearing my contest ribbon..._ She was dumbfounded. _Does it really mean that much to him? It can't be...  
><em>

"Mr. Ketchum, that was quite an amazing bout you had with your Pikachu!" A young lady for the network said, holding a microphone up to Ash.

"Thanks! But I have a lot of people cheering for me, so it was no problem! And my Pokemon and I always give it our all!" Ash replied enthusiastically.

"Now, out of curiosity, it appears you have a contest ribbon on your hoodie. Did you partake in contests in another region before coming here?"

Ash looked confused before looking down at Dawn's ribbon. He appeared to be deep in thought. Dawn leaned forward eagerly. _Why is he wearing it?_

"Oh...haha, no. Someone very special to me mailed this to me for good luck. She...it..." He didn't know what to say, before finally settling on, "It lets me know I have no need to worry! It's my good luck charm for the tournament!"

Dawn nearly fainted, as she slumped back on to the couch, smiling and blushing. She saw her mother looking at her knowingly. "Not a word." Dawn said, smirking.

_Oh Ash...you have no idea what you do to me._

* * *

><p><strong>Haha, a little bit of a happier ending for Dawn this time.<strong>

**I may make a small collection of songfic oneshots next. Don't worry, I plan on finishing this story up, but I have a few good ideas. And not the songs that everyone always uses.**

**Reviews, kthnxbai?**


	5. Ash's Reconciliation

**Reconciliation: Ash's Perspective**

**Reconciliation is a tricky thing. When it comes in to play with a long-standing regret in oneself, you can reconcile it internally and externally. Both hold equally important in the long-term run of life; it's healthy to be able to let things go within yourself and move on, and it's just as important to be able to approach someone and make amends for something you did or failed to do in the past. For regret is a terrible thing, and if it can be dealt with, so it should.**

**Since adding chapter four, I received a small flurry of emails stating that this was added to a few people's Alert or Favorite list. I just wanted to thank those people, as it really means a lot to me that you like this story enough to subscribe to it. I also want to thank Northern Ranger, who has been reviewing chapters on both this story and my story "Surprises" with kind words (yes, I will continue to "Rock on.") Lastly, I'd like to thank everyone else who has left reviews on both this story and my two other Pearlshipping stories (check my profile is you want to see them, the titles are "Man of Action" and "Surprises").**

**Now that I've finished my shout outs and shameless self-promotion...**

**Disclaimer: We all know very well I do not own the Pokemon. This is purely fan-made.**

* * *

><p>Ash's heart raced inside his chest. <em>This is it. The finals. Me against Trip. Our last Pokemon.<em>

Trip smirked, just as confident as ever. "Finish Pikachu off with a Leaf Blade attack, Serperior!"

Ash only needed a moment before he knew what to do. "Spin dodge it, Pikachu!" _Geez, learning that technique from Dawn has saved my butt more times than I can count. Even now, she's still helping me._

Pikachu was just barely able to do so, and Ash grinned and yelled out, "KEEP SPINNING AND HIT HIM WITH IRON TAIL!"

"LEAF BLADE AGAIN, SERPERIOR!" Trip shouted angrily.

The two attacks collided with each other, creating a small explosion and dust cloud. _That sure seems to happen a lot in these tournaments._ Ash thought to himself. He stared in to the dust cloud, feeling an incredible anxiety. _Come on Pikachu..._

As Ash waited for what seemed like an eternity, he instinctively reached on to his chest and squeezed Dawn's contest ribbon. He felt oddly comforted when he did this.

And he had done it. Serperior lay on the ground, knocked out. Pikachu wasn't holding up much better, but he was able to barely hold himself up.

"SERPERIOR IS UNABLE TO BATTLE - THE BATTLE BELONGS TO ASH AND PIKACHU!" The referee yelled.

Ash was stunned as the crowd erupted in to cheers. "I...won? I won the League...?"

A wide smile crept upon his face as it began to sink in. _I. Won. The League!_ "PIKACHU! YOU DID IT!" He yelled,

Ash ran out on to the field and scooped his long-time companion up in to a tight hug, "Pikachu! We finally made it!"

"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked, tired but excited.

Ash patted his electric mouse on the head. "Just rest up, buddy. I'm so proud of you."

Trip walked up to Ash. They stared at each other for a long time. Finally, after what seemed like a long period of tension, Trip extended his hand. "You've gotten better."

Ash eagerly shook Trip's hand. "You too! Let's battle again someday!"

Trip smirked. "I'd like that. Peace out."

And with that Trip left. Almost immediately, Ash was tackled to the ground by both Cilan and Iris.

"You did it! A wonderful recipe of action, determination, and passion came together in what could only be a championship-worthy VICTORY PIE!" Cilan exclaimed, helping Ash back up.

"I think a simple 'good job' would have done, Cilan." Iris said, sweatdropping. "But that was awesome Ash! I can't believe you did it!"

Ash looked down at the ribbon pinned to his chest and grinned at his friends. "Thanks guys. I couldn't have done it without your support...and all my other friends." He looked down at Pikachu in his arms once more and added. "And of course, all my awesome Pokemon."

"Chu!" Pikachu chirped happily.

As the cheering died down a little, it was time for the award ceremony. A stage was raised up on the battle arena, complete with cannons of confetti and fireworks. _This time...this time it's for me._ Ash thought in disbelief.

_I never thought I'd make it this far. After all this time, I reached the top._ Was all he could think.

He vaguely heard the announcer call him to the stand. He almost felt like he was dreaming as he walked up on to the stage with Pikachu and just grinned stupidly at the crowd. Pikachu, now feeling more recovered from the battle, stood on Ash's head and waved excitedly to the crowd for him.

Alder made his way to the stage, to a chorus of cheers from the crowd, and presented Ash with his Unova League Trophy. Ash became aware of all the photographers and reporters snapping pictures and video taping the event as he shook Alder's hand.

"You know kid," Alder said happily, "with this, you can challenge the Elite Four any time you want. And even me, if you get through them. But enough of that...what are you going to do now?"

Ash took his trophy proudly. He glanced down at the ribbon pinned to his chest. "I have a promise to keep to a friend."

Alder rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Dedication AND loyalty. Truly the hallmarks of a great Trainer in the making."

"Then I'm going to train even harder, and come back to challenge YOU, Alder." Ash boasted confidently, giving the older trainer a thumbs-up.

Alder laughed heartily. "Awesome, I'll look forward to it. OUR CHAMPION, Ladies and gentleman!" He announced to the crowd.

The crowd cheered once more. After being navigated through the sea of reporters, photographers, and paparazzi, Ash finally made it backstage where Cilan and Iris were waiting.

"So, you're going to fulfill that promise to Dawn, right?" Iris asked. Ash had reluctantly disclosed his promise to Cilan and Iris when they caught him sending Dawn photographs of himself. He didn't have much of a choice...they wouldn't stop pestering him about it.

Ash grinned triumphantly. He felt like he was on top of the world at that moment. In his mind, he could do anything. "That's right. I told her I was going to see her after I won the tournament. I got to get a plane ticket or a boat or something, so I can see her as soon as possible!"

_I'm going to finish what I should have done a long time ago Dawn. I told you I was going to win this. I told myself I was going to win this for you. And now you need to know that. You need to know how I feel._

"That will be a step in this CONFECTIONERY DELICACY OF LOVE that we can skip, for I have prepared a grand dessert for the entree of your victory!" Cilan stated, wagging his finger haughtily.

Ash raised an eyebrow as Iris giggled. "Say what now?"

Cilan whistled. "Your chariot awaits, monsieur."

On cue, Ash's Charizard flew in to the room from behind Ash and licked Ash's face excitedly. "CHARIZARD! Buddy!"

As Ash hugged one of his old friends. He suddenly realized. "You should have told me sooner! I could have used him in the tournament!"

Iris and Cilan sweatdropped. "And ruin the surprise?" Cilan exclaimed, "Ash, Charizard is here to take you to Sinnoh, right now! I arranged for him to get here last night in order for you to get the girl in a big dramatic way! It's the only way to do these things! Go big or go home!"

"Wh-what?" Ash shouted, surprised.

"Pika-Pi!" Pikachu exclaimed as well.

"Don't be such a kid, Ash!" Iris answered, "Cilan and I planned this all out. Trust me, Dawn will think it's uber-romantic if you swoop in on a Pokemon, fresh from your victory. Just tell her you had to see her to share the moment. She'll melt like an ice cream near a Heatmor. You'll have it in the bag."

Ash paused. _Am I ready for this? So soon?_

He glanced at Pikachu. Pikachu grinned back. "Pika!"

_You know what?_ He thought to himself. _I am ready. I've been regretting not telling her since I left her side. It ends today!_

Ash grinned to his friends. "Wow, you guys really went out of your way for me on this one!"

"Nonsense! The best dishes of declaring love are grand and exquisite, and I wasn't going to sit around and let this be a second-rate piece!" Cilan replied.

"...what he said." Iris added.

Ash hugged his two friends. "Thank you guys so much. For everything."

They hugged back. "Just come get us when you challenge the Elite Four, we'll definitely want to be there." Iris told him.

Ash stepped back and pumped his fist in the air. "Of course!"

They heard a gaggle of reporters outside, just begging to burst in to the room to maul Ash with questions and praise.

"Better get going, Ash." Cilan advised, pointing to the back entrance just behind them. "We'll handle the paparazzi."

Ash opened the door, stepping in to the sunlight. Pikachu and Charizard followed him. He turned back to face Iris and Cilan once more.

"I'll come back soon to face the Elite Four and hang out with you guys. Thanks again...I can't thank you enough for this. Take care, you guys." Ash said.

He hopped on Charizards back. "To Twinleaf Town!" He yelled.

"TAKE CARE, ASH!" Cilan yelled as they took off.

"USE PROTECTION!" Iris added, causing Cilan to sweatdrop.

"Iris..." He sighed.

Iris shrugged. "What?"

"He's TEN!" Cilan laughed. "Come on, I'll get you a soda."

"SODA!" Iris yelled happily.

* * *

><p>It took quite some time, but to a very nervous Ash, the hour he spent flying through the air with Charizard and Pikachu flew by. They landed just on the outskirts of Twinleaf town, and Ash recalled Charizard to a Pokeball. "Pikachu, I dunno if I can do this..."<p>

"CHUUU!" Pikachu lightly shocked Ash, knocking him to the ground. Ash sprang back up, completely revitalized.

"YOU'RE RIGHT!" He yelled. "I'm the new Unova League Tournament Champion! I just defeated my long-time rival, and challenged Alder! And like hell I'm going to regret not telling Dawn how I feel about her. I can handle ANYTHING!"

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled triumphantly.

Marching right past a flower garden, Ash scooped up a handful of the flora instinctively. _Now. All this time I've beat myself up for not telling her. It comes to an end._

He saw her house directly ahead of him. He hesitated slightly, but mentally slapped himself. _No. No more hesitating. Last time you did that, you made the biggest mistake ever._

He walked up to the front door, and took a deep breath. And he knocked.

The moments felt like an eternity. The full thirty seconds before Johanna opened the door felt like an hour.

"Ash...you...the TV...uh...hi?" Johanna stammered, utterly shocked to see the now-champion before her. Ash looked past Johanna to see someone approaching from down the fall.

"Mom, who was at the..." Dawn had walked in to the room and was stunned to see Ash Ketchum, who she had just seen win the Unova League on television standing at her door. "...Ash?"

Ash then realized that he should probably actually say something. "Hey Dawn." He said, grinning like an idiot, and holding the flowers out to her.

_Well...not as smooth as I pictured this starting._

But it didn't matter. Dawn charged him and knocked him over with a huge hug."ASH!" The flowers were knocked into the air and fluttered all over the yard. _I don 't think she even noticed them._ He thought.

Ash's face felt like it was on fire as he lay on the porch. After a moment, Dawn stood up, blushing. "What are you doing here? How did you get here so fast?"

Dawn helped Ash to his feet. Ash clutched a Pokeball in his hand. "I had some help from a friend..."

And then Ash remembered a little bit of advice he had just been given. "And I just knew after I won that I had to see you."

Ash couldn't describe Dawn's reaction with words, but he knew Iris had been right. Dawn grew completely red, wrapped her arms around him once and buried her face into his neck in embarrassment. "Oh...Ash..." She said in to his neck.

Ash glanced over at Johanna, blushing ferociously. Johanna just winked at the young trainer and slowly closed the door.

"Hey Dawn...I want to talk to you about some things." Ash said, happily.

Dawn pulled away. "...what is it Ash?"

Ash stared in to her eyes, and felt that warm, full feeling inside.

_I could tell her how she makes everything I've ever been through worth it._

_I could tell her that I won the tournament for her._

_I could tell her that I regretted leaving her every single day._

_I could tell her that her smile was always with me._

_I could..._

"I don't know how to say this Dawn. I went over this a million times in my head, but it never comes out right. So I'll just say it. I love you. I love you, so I came here, to tell you that." Ash blurted out.

_I could probably say it like that, which was THE DUMBEST WAY POSSIBLE. _He lamented in his mind.

But before he knew it, Dawn had pressed her lips against his, causing Ash's brain to explode in an array of fireworks. He was barely aware enough to kiss her back. As they pulled away, Dawn just stared in to his eyes some more, smiling.

"You have such a way with words, Ash Ketchum." She teased. "I love you too."

_Yeah, I handled that like a champ._

* * *

><p><strong>I guess I'm a sucker for happy endings, huh? Don't worry, I'll still do the flip to Dawn's perspective.<strong>


	6. Dawn's Reconciliation

**Reconciliation: Dawn's Perspective**

**Reconciliation can be scary. In a perfect world, it wouldn't be necessary, for there would be no mistakes or regrets in the first place. But that's not the case, is it? Sometimes we have to look inwardly to console ourselves, but sometimes we have to confront others. And that's what makes it scary, because you can't always predict what others may do.**

**My favorite line in my last chapter was "Victory Pie." I just wanted you all to know that. I imagine it's like a chocolate pie or something. This is followed only by Iris telling Ash to use protection.**

**Disclaimer: I do not have ownership of Pokemon or the characters aforementioned.**

* * *

><p>"PIP! PIPLUP!" Piplup grunted angrily.<p>

Why? Well, because he, Dawn, and Johanna were watching the Unova League Tournament final match on the television. Currently, Ash was battling his Unovian Rival, Trip, and they were down to their last Pokemon each. And with all the intense action, everyone was on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, Dawn was subconsciously squeezing Piplup very hard.

Upon hearing her Pokemon's angry objections, Dawn let go of the poor Water type. "Sorry Piplup!" She said, not taking her eyes of the television screen.

"Pip!" Piplup replied, folding it's flippers, disgruntled. But he too quickly became absorbed in the action once again.

"I can't believe how far he went! Two ten year old's fighting at the very top of a League Tournament. It's almost unheard of." Johanna said, gripping the edge of the couch.

"Are you kidding, mom? He curb-stomped someone in the first round using only Pikachu. Ash is incredible!" Dawn said, nearly shouting from the excitement of the battle.

"PIKACHU, SPIN-DODGE IT!" She heard Ash yell from the screen, causing her heart to flutter slightly. _He still uses that move I taught him..._

She leaned forward anxiously, and breathed a sigh of relief as Pikachu just barely missed the attack from Trip's Serperior.

The two trainers on the screen yelled commands at about the same time, but she heard Ash command Pikachu use Iron Tail. The attack collided with another attack from Serperior, resulting in a small explosion and a dust cloud. _Huh. I wonder why that always seems to happen in Ash's battles._ She thought to herself.

Time seemed to stand still, both on the televised battle, as well as in Dawn's living room. The camera cut to Trip, who was staring in to the dust cloud almost angrily.

Then it cut to Ash...and he was gripping Dawn's ribbon. Dawn saw this and couldn't help the pink tinge on her cheeks. _He's so sweet..._

Johanna turned to her daughter and smirked. "Looks like you're still helping him out."

The dust on the screen settled, and Dawn, Johanna, and Piplup all screamed in excitement. Serperior was down. Pikachu wasn't.

"SERPERIOR IS UNABLE TO BATTLE - THE BATTLE BELONGS TO ASH AND PIKACHU!" The referee on the television yelled.

Dawn jumped off the couch and pumped her fist in to the air. She didn't care that she was acting like a little kid. And apparently, neither did her mother and Piplup, because they were soon jumping up and down in excitement as well. Dawn suddenly heard her cell phone ringing from the couch. It was May. She quickly answered, and before she even said "hello..."

"HOLY CRAP, DAWN, DID YOU SEE THAT?" May screamed at her from the other end.

"I know, right? Ash and Pikachu were so awesome!" Dawn said giddily.

"Totally! I can't get Max to settle down. He's jumping all over the place like a little kid!" May said, laughing.

Dawn blushed, very thankful that May hadn't called her via video-phone. "Y-yeah, jumping all around like that, how immature."

Piplup and Johanna glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.

They excitedly chatted about the tournament for a few minutes before May asked something Dawn was a little uncomfortable disclosing...

"Hey, do you know what the ribbon he has on his chest is all about?" May asked.

"I er...gotta go. I have to wash my hair that I left in the oven. Next door. Bye!" Dawn said nervously, hanging up.

"She asked you about the ribbon, didn't she?" Johanna questioned smugly.

"Shut up." Dawn said, rolling her eyes.

They calmed down long enough to watch Ash accept the trophy from Alder, talking about fulfilling promises, then challenging the Champion himself.

"So what do you think his promise is?" Johanna asked Dawn teasingly.

Dawn blushed. _I hope he means coming to see me...but I'm sure he promised his mom and everyone else to see them too._ "P-probably just to see his mom or something."

Her mom laughed. "What, you don't think he' s going to swoop in on the back of a flying Pokemon with flowers?"

Dawn's blush just deepened. "Oh come on mom, Ash isn't romantic enough to think of that."

"But that's what you want him to do." Johanna pressed.

Dawn just folded her arms. "...not the point. Besides, that would take really large Pokemon that could fly, and would take, at the least, about an hour to do. That's just insanely unlikely."

_...it'd still be the greatest thing ever._ Dawn thought to herself. _Like something out of a movie._

With the battle now over, Dawn turned off the television. _So...now what? I know! I'll write him another letter about how awesome that battle was and how excited I am for him!_

Dawn turned to run up to her room when Johanna called after her "Where are you off to now?"

"I need to write Ash to congratulate him!" She called back to her mom.

"Not wasting any time, are you?" She asked, laughing slightly. "Don't be too long, we'll go out tonight and get something to eat to celebrate."

Dawn charged up to her room and plopped down at her desk, pulling out a pen and paper...and tapped her pen to her chin, thinking. Piplup waddled in to the room not long after.

"How do I tell him how ecstatic I am for winning the League, Piplup?" Dawn asked her loyal Pokemon companion.

Piplup shrugged, and hopped up on to the desk next to her. It rubbed it's chin and tapped one of it's flippers. It looked oddly hilarious doing this for some reason, and Dawn giggled.

"I don't think 'deduction' is going to be one of your appeals in our future contests, buddy. Sorry." She teased.

"Pip!" Piplup replied, crossing it's flippers and hopped up on to the dresser.

"Aw come on, now you aren't gonna help me? Fine, be that way." Dawn replied playfully, sticking her tongue out at the creature.

As she focused on her paper, she didn't notice Piplup suddenly stair out the window in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes intensely to make sure it wasn't seeing things.

"Pip! Piplup! Pip!" Piplup chirped excitedly, pointing out the window.

"Not now, Piplup. I have to focus. We'll play outside later tonight...I know you want to practice our new combination." Dawn said, not looking up from the letter she had just started.

"PIP!" Piplup yelled again, jumping on to the desk, frantically pointing to the window.

"I know it's a nice day outside, Piplup. Trust me, if any other day, we'd be outside like we normally are." Dawn replied, slightly exasperated. "Now, where was I..."

Piplup facepalmed. It was about to launch a BubbleBeam attack on it's trainer, when it was interrupted...

By a knock at the door. Piplup looked out the window again, as if to check something.

_Huh..._ Dawn thought, pausing at the interruption, _I don't think that mom was expecting anyone. I wonder who it is?_

"Let's go see who's at the door, Piplup." Dawn said. Piplup just groaned and sweatdropped, but followed Dawn down the stairs anyways.

"Ash...you...the TV...uh...hi?" Dawn could hear her mom saying. Dawn paused in shock.

_Did...she just say 'Ash?"_

_No way. I'm hearing things._

"Mom, who was at the..." She started to say, but then she entered the kitchen, and saw her mom at the door.

And there he was.

_It can't be. I'm dreaming. I fell asleep or something. It would be too perfect._

"...Ash?"

It had to be him. Because he had that goofy "I-don't-know-what-to-say" expression that Ash somehow made look so adorable.

"Hey Dawn." He said, with what Dawn could only describe as the silliest looking grin plastered on his face.

_Someone pinch me. This is a perfect dream. Well...if it is..._

It was all too much for her. She could not contain her happiness, and she charged her crush, tackling him to the ground with a giant hug."ASH!"

_Ouch. _She thought as they hit the ground, _Guess this is real, because that's going to bruise the crap out of my elbows later.  
><em>

She just realized he had been carrying flowers for her. She looked up and saw them fluttering across her yard, destroyed. _It is real. He's really here..._

She slowly grasped the reality of the situation, and sprang up, blushing. Looking for a distraction from the rather embarrassing display of affection, she asked the most logical question she could think of: "What are you doing here? How did you get here so fast?"

Dawn reached down to pick him up. As he did, he clutched a Pokeball in his hand and answered: "I had some help from a friend..."

_My mom is psychic. He effing swooped in on a Pokemon. With flowers. I don't believe it...  
><em>

And then Ash said something that Dawn really hadn't expected. Words she always hoped he would say, but not that she ever thought she would hear. "And I just knew after I won that I had to see you."

Dawn wasn't sure what happened to her. The words washed over her like a warm shower. Her knees buckled, and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but to wrap her arms around the boy and bury her face in his neck to keep from crying. "Oh...Ash..." She said in to his neck.

Dawn heard her mother close the door behind them. _I'll have to remember to thank her for being cool this one time._

"Hey Dawn...I want to talk to you about some things." Ash said, happily.

Dawn let go of the trainer. Her heart was racing. _Can this really be happening? Do I look as nervous as I feel?_

"...what is it Ash?" Was the best she able to come up with for words.

Ash stared in to her eyes, and she felt completely warm inside. At that moment, she was complete.

_Please tell me that I'm the only one for you..._

_Please tell me that you did it all for me..._

_Please tell me that you never stopped thinking of me..._

_Please tell me that my smile was always with you..._

"I don't know how to say this Dawn. I went over this a million times in my head, but it never comes out right. So I'll just say it. I love you. I love you, so I came here, to tell you that." Ash blurted out.

The words...while not elegant, hit Dawn like a truck. Her brain felt fried, and her heart nearly stopped.

_Somehow...you told me the perfect thing._

At that moment, she knew no other way to respond. Words could not do her happiness justice. So she crashed her lips in to his, hoping that they would convey her bliss and ecstasy to the normally clueless boy. And as he began to reciprocate the kiss, she knew she had succeeded.

As she pulled away, the completely dumbfounded look on Ash's faced pulled her back in to reality. Finally, she regained the power of speech, in time to reassure him:

"You have such a way with words, Ash Ketchum." She teased. "I love you too."

_Ash Ketchum...my champion. My goofy, ridiculous champion._

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><p><strong>The end.<strong>

**I hope you guys dig this conclusion. And don't worry: I have more ideas for stories that I'll get to work on.**

**It's too bad no pairings will probably ever become canon, you know? It's just not that kind of show. So they'll just shiptease Ash with every flipping chick he runs into, because it drives us all bonkers. Still, I dig Pearlshipping. And I hope you all liked this story.  
><strong>


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